Front facing Realsense Camera on HP Spectre X2 stopped working

[Stoopdog]

Hi Everyone,

I have just bought my brand new HP Spectre X2 and love it! It's running Windows 10.

I had used the front facing camera to take a profile photo for my user account and it worked like a dream. Then the next day I decided to change it, but the front facing camera no longer works.

What's weird is I can see myself on screen, but there is a greyed out message on screen saying "Camera won't start" with the following error code: 0xA00F424A(0X80070032) ....Screenshot below.

The rear camera works fine, but when I switch to the front facing, that's when it stops. If I switch back to the rear camera, the error message remains until I close the camera app and re-open it again. Then the rear facing camera woks again.

I've troubleshooted so many things on the net, but sofar, nothing seems to be working.

Argh! Help!

[Sparkles1]

HI @Stoopdog,

Welcome to the HP Forum! 🙂 It is a terrific place to find answers and tips! For you to have the best experience on the HP forum, I would like to direct your attention to the HP Forums Guide. First Time Here? Learn How to Post and More. What is your precise model of Spectre x2? HP Notebook PCs - How Do I Find My Model Number, Serial Number or Product Number?

I understand that your front facing camera was working as you used it to take a profile picture. The next day you decided to change the picture but when you opened the front facing camera you saw  your image on the screen with this error message "Camera won't start" with the following error code: 0xA00F424A(0X80070032)". If you switch to the rear camera it works fine. If you switch back to the front camera the error message comes back. When you switch back to the rear camera, the error remains until you close the camera app and reopen it.

The 0xA00F4246 error is the result of the Camera App not being able to  initialize the camera driver and is unable to communicate with the camera hardware. 

Is it possible that the image you see on the screen with the front camera is your reflection and not a camera image? Have you done all your Windows updates? Have you run the HP Support Assistant  to help with any recommended HP updates? Have you tried a hard reset?  HP Notebook PCs - Performing a Hard Reset or Forced Reset. If you check Device Manager is there an error on the front camera?  Here is a link to 

HP PCs - Webcam Troubleshooting (Windows 10, 😎 that should also help. Please let me know the outcome.

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[Stoopdog]

Hi there Sparkles1,

Thanks for returning my enquiry. Your summary of my problem is correct.

My HP compter is the HP Spectre X2 detachable, touch screen, 8Gig Ram, 1.2GH, 512Gig SSD memory, operating windows 10.

The picture I was seeing most definitly wasn't my reflection. The update on the situation now is actually worse now too. When I open the camera application, the window opens, but it is just a black screen. No camera capture buttons, icons, neither the front nor rear cameras work and there are no error messages or codes. It's literally just nothing.

I had also searched through the windows 10 forum but didn't seem to find anything that proposed a solution to my problem.

I have actually already used the HP assist to download all the available updates and I have also used the device manager to check the status of the camera. The device manager says that the camera is currently working. I have also used the device manager to seach fro any updated drivers to download, but it shows that the most updated driver is already in use.

What would a hard reset do to my computer and how would I do it - is there anything else I could try first - a hard reset sounds quite drastic!

[Sparkles1]

HI @Stoopdog,

Thank you for your reply. 🙂   I understand that the rear camera also  has the same issue now.  A hard reset is not a drastic step. If you click on the link I provided in my previous post, it will guide you through one.  Have you checked for viruses and malware? You can also try deleting the cameras from Device Manager and then restart your notebook. This will have it scan for the attached hardware and reinstall it. If you start in safe mode do the cameras work?  HP PCs - Windows Safe Mode (Windows 10, 😎  If there is no change, you could try a restore back to before this occurred.HP PCs - Using Microsoft System Restore (Windows 10, 😎 If a restore is not possible due to the latest Windows updates. you could try a clean install of Windows 10. How to Clean Install Windows 10 (from tenforums.com). Please keep me updated.

[Stoopdog]

Hi Sparkles,

Sorry I hadn't replied for a while.

My computer did a big automoatic windows update one day and when I opened the computer the next day, the camera was working again! Bingo!

Thanks for all your help though!